My original post is about 10 or so below this one ... when I developed an IP leak 250 miles (400kms) from home that required me to get my back-up truck and car trailer to bring it home.
So ... I bought a complete seal kit on Ebay, brought the truck (93 D250) into my shop and started investigating ... the cap on the opposite side (engine side) of the KSB had one screw backed out and I could see a broken green o-ring hanging out. I positioned the engine with the TDC pin, removed everything that was in the way and removed the pump.
Once on the bench I decided that since I have a complete seal kit and the fact that the IP does take a bit of time to remove, that I'd re-seal the entire thing. Yes this is my first VE ... so very carefully I took it apart making note of any little holes and positions of every single part, washed everything and re-assembled it. The only thing that I changed was removing the cap and spot welded band on the power screw and turned it in two full turns. The IP also has a BD pin and 3200 spring.
When it was back on the truck and fired up, it ran absolutely beautiful. I had to turn the idle down and with the idle screw backed out completely it idled at 755 rpm in park per my old Snappy red brick scanner. I went for a drive around my neighborhood (mountain/small acreage environment) and the truck ran simply perfect, I could feel at light throttle that it had more low speed grunt and I was very impressed.
I decided to go out on the highway and try a few 60 mph blasts and check for smoke. The first one I did felt impressive and did smoke more that it used to, but not horrible. Then I did another one and holly crap ... massive black smoke ... let off the pedal and it wouldn't stop smoking, but did idle down. I pulled over and when the truck was idling (very crappy and barely) the smoke was so obscene that you could hardly see the truck within a few seconds of running. It's very hard to fire up and if I'm lucky enough to get it to even catch ... the black smoke is insanely massive. So I had to hitch hike back home and get the back-up truck and car trailer and go get it ... again.
Just so you know that I'm not some white collar geek that sits in an office all day at IBM and dreams of being Mr. Mechanic, here is a bit about me. I'm almost 52 years old and have been pulling wrenches all of my life. I am a red seal journeyman automotive technician (that's what it is called here in Canada after completing the 4 year apprenticeship program successfully), I have never worked "flat rate" and have never worked in a "daily driver" repair environment, I specialize in restoring very expensive Mopar muscle cars with super high attention to detail and success, I also specialize in 727 transmissions and will spend 12 hours rebuilding one (including cleaning in a varsol tank), I'm highly critically anal and have a reputation for that ... but not an ego ... and I look like a bum ... lol. The cars motivate me more that the money. I'm the opposite of a flat rate thrash hack time is money mechanic. This 93 1st gen has been my introductory into the world of diesels and it's hooked me.
I'm surprised by my failure with the VE, but failures are a necessity and promotes education, experience and success ... so I'm quite ok with it. Now I need to turn to my internet friends that I may never meet in person
and ask ... what and why did I do wrong. Thanks for taking the time to read my story and I look forward to hearing any and all responses.
Kindest regards
Art
